• The United States has advanced a 28-point draft framework that would establish an armistice and provide Ukraine with security assurances modeled on NATO's Article 5.
  • In exchange, Ukraine would be required to cede control of the Donbas region and Crimea to Russia, reduce its military by more than half, and suspend its NATO membership ambitions.
  • The proposal, delivered to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, is being treated with urgency amid Ukraine's ongoing energy crisis and is under review in Kyiv.

Efforts to broker a peace in the Russo-Ukrainian war have taken a significant turn with the circulation of a new U.S. draft framework. The proposal, advanced by the administration of President Donald Trump in November 2025, outlines a potential path to an armistice but demands substantial concessions from Ukraine, according to details of the plan reported by multiple outlets.

The framework is a comprehensive 28-point plan that would obligate the United States and its European allies to respond collectively to any future Russian aggression against Ukraine, mirroring the mutual defense commitment of NATO's Article 5. This security guarantee would have an initial duration of ten years and could be extended by mutual agreement. However, the draft also stipulates that Ukraine must formally suspend its pursuit of full NATO membership.

In exchange for this security arrangement, the proposal requires Kyiv to make difficult territorial and military compromises. Ukraine would cede control of the Donbas region—encompassing Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts—and Crimea to Russia. Furthermore, its military would be reduced by more than half, a move that would fundamentally alter the country's defensive posture. The draft also reportedly includes political concessions, such as recognizing Russian as an official language and easing restrictions on the Russian Orthodox Church.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has received the draft and is currently reviewing the options with his advisors, according to people familiar with the matter. The proposal is being treated as urgent, driven in part by Ukraine's severe energy crisis and the broader geopolitical situation. The U.S. has consulted with European partners and NATO, though they were not central to the drafting process, leaving some allies uneasy about the terms.

Initial reactions from Ukrainian officials suggest significant resistance. Some lawmakers and advisors have privately described the framework as unrealistic and dangerous, expressing deep concern over the sovereignty implications of the required concessions. The plan's future is highly uncertain, hinging on Ukraine's willingness to accept the terms and Russia's receptiveness to a deal that falls short of its maximalist wartime objectives. A spokesperson for the Ukrainian presidency did not immediately respond to a request for comment.